All 81 features that are locked behind Gold Membership wall

After my original article regarding why Skype should be free on the Xbox One, I got to thinking about the other features. I wondered exactly how many features were locked behind Xbox Live Gold. After some research, I discovered that the Xbox360 & Xbox One collectively have 81 features that you will not be able to use without an Xbox Live Gold Subscription. Many of these features cost Microsoft NOTHING to operate, since many of them either run on the Xbox platform itself and/or the Xbox connects to a third party server and/or service. It doesn’t make sense why Microsoft insists to keep these features behind a pay wall. Online gaming for example, when you play Gears of War 3, your Xbox360 connects to EPIC’s servers (and through there it would connect to another Xbox360 hosting the match). Why are you paying Microsoft for that? Even with Microsoft’s own games, the Gold subscription doesn’t offer any kind of perks for online gaming. The only one being…that you’re actually allowed to game online. Did Microsoft invest any of that Gold Subscription money to dedicated servers on the Xbox360? Nope. How many Halo games on Xbox360 had dedicated servers? I think you see my point.

And what about those other features, like Netflix, Amazon Instant video, and others that have nothing to do with Microsoft? Why should you have to pay Microsoft just so that your Xbox console can connect to Netflix’s servers? I just feel that Microsoft’s main goal with their platforms has shifted to selling Xbox Live GOLD features, rather than the consoles themselves. Just think, how much functionality would you get out of the Xbox360 without Gold? And on the Xbox One, it’s even worse! Without Gold on the Xbox One, you pretty much have a useless piece of hardware. Why should the platform be so RELIANT on a yearly subscription in order to keep some form of basic functionality? It’s simple, that’s how Microsoft intended it to be. The more features they throw behind Xbox Live Gold, the more insurance they have that people will pay it. Below you’ll see a list I’ve compiled of Xbox Live Gold features on Xbox360 and Xbox One:

That’s quite a lot of features that you will have no access to, unless you pay for Xbox Live Gold. And lets not forget that the PS4 & other platforms have the very same features FOR FREE! I don’t think its fair for Microsoft to advertise Xbox One’s new features (Game DVR, Skype, and etc), as if they’re ready and waiting on the device; when in fact they’re Xbox Live GOLD features. That’s why we saw a ton of gaming websites express their disdain after finally discovering that the features everyone was talking about (Game DVR, Skype, OneGuide, etc), were actually behind Xbox Live Gold. The only impression I get from seeing such a huge list of paywall features, is that the Xbox platform was designed to sell a yearly subscription. For consumers, it doesn’t add value; but, from a business standpoint, it is GENIUS.

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He couldve just said streaming services instead of naming them all one by one just to get up to 81

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

Yeah, blatent tactic to get get a big number. Also, surely online multiplayer and smart match would fall under the same banner.

And though having to pay to use the streaming features isn't grand, they are very well implemented with the 360 instead of (stuff like bbc iplayer and other tv channels' on demand) just a link to the website through the browser like on ps3. I really hope sony will do 'apps' like what the 360 has now for ps4.

Putting free things behind a pay wall is not going to make people pony up for a gold account just to use those things. Instead they will just continue to use them for free on their TV or media streamers and etc.

Putting free things behind a pay wall is not going to make people pony up for a gold account just to use those things. Instead they will just continue to use them for free on their TV or media streamers and etc.

Its a way of falsely giving extra value to a gold account.

"Look what you get with gold status" <insert big list of 81 things>

Even worse it gives Sony an opportunity to take a shot at them (again) and say "Look at the features that we have that you don't have to pay to use on the PS4 that the 'other guy' wants to charge you for!"

Originally Posted by Sparc

For goodness sake I hope nobody thinks to start labelling the console an Xbrick,
oops

Even worse it gives Sony an opportunity to take a shot at them (again) and say "Look at the features that we have that you don't have to pay to use on the PS4 that the 'other guy' wants to charge you for!"

People are buying the console mostly for the games and paying gold for multi-player. It obviously isn't bothering members that much because gold subscriptions continue to increase.

People are buying the console mostly for the games and paying gold for multi-player. It obviously isn't bothering members that much because gold subscriptions continue to increase.

I already know two people personally and one other person who has switched to PS4 since they don't play games online but want those features. Every little bit counts, you stick your nose out don't cry foul when your opponent takes a shot at it.

Originally Posted by Sparc

For goodness sake I hope nobody thinks to start labelling the console an Xbrick,
oops

I already know two people personally and one other person who has switched to PS4 since they don't play games online but want those features. Every little bit counts, you stick your nose out don't cry foul when your opponent takes a shot at it.

yea, I know people like that too. It goes both ways though. I know some who have dropped both for PC gaming. The main reason people buy consoles are for the games, and services like xbox live. IF MS lose a large chunk of gamers it won't be because some things are behind a paywall.

He couldve just said streaming services instead of naming them all one by one just to get up to 81

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

True but still he makes a good point, MS throwing most features behind Gold paywall pretty much forces their users to purchase the subscription, Sony might be doing that now but at least they're not blocking every single feature.

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